Coin holder



Feb. 28, 1939. J CARLSQN v 2,148,978

' COIN HOLDER Filed May 15, 1 936 INVENTOR. M/%- /.9 BY 5:7. 7 a rromwsy Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to a letter box door of the type used in rural localities, but can apply to other types as well.

An object of my invention is to provide a practical receptacle for receiving letters and the like which can be readily emptied.

A further object of my invention is to provide means associating with a receptacle to indicate at a distance whether there are letters in the receptacle.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for readily emptying and grasping letters in the receptacle.

A further object of my invention is to provide an efficient water-shed so that the receptacle will not be filled with water during rain and so forth.

A further object is to provide coin receiving means in combination with the letter box, so that coins can be kept for the postman.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a coin receiving receptacle which is readily opened or emptied and filled with coins or the same removed.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a receptacle which performs its functions automatically with the use of such coins.

A further object of my invention is to provide all of the above mentioned objects in a construction of such simplicity that it can be manufactured at a very reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the door and receptacle,

Figure 2 is a sectional side view taken along the center line thereof,

Figure 3 is a detail of part of the watershed p:

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the coin holder,

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the coin holder in a closed position,

Figure 6 is a similar view of the same in an open position,

Figure 7 shows the coin holder being emptied, and

Figure 8 is a front view of the coin holder.

My mail box comprises the receptacle III which includes the rear wall II, and the forward wall I2, and which is pivoted at I3 to the side members I4.

The members I4 merge with the front wall of the mail box I5, which is pivoted on the hinges I6 in the usual manner. A snap clip I? is attached at the top to retain'the wall I5 in a vertical position. The balance of the box is indicated by the 5 character I8.

A glass member I9 is inserted within the flanges 20, and an opening 2| is provided in the forward wall I2. A flag member 22 is pivoted at 23 within the receptacle I0, and directly adjacent to the forward wall I2.

It will be seen from the foregoing construction that the receptacle Ill can be raised to the elevated position shown in Fig. 2, so that the contents of the same can be emptied, and the opening 2| provides means for the postman determining visually whether there are any letters in the receptacle. The flag 22 can be placed in the position shown in Fig. l, to further indicate contents to be removed from the box.

The side flange I4 terminates in the bottom wall 24, which turns into the approximately vertical flange 25. The reason for the flange 25 is to provide against maximum swinging of the receptacle I0, since when the front wall I5 of the box is pivoted in the direction of the arrow 26 in order to remove packages and the like inside of the box, the flange 25 thereby prevents vertical swinging of receptacle I0, and it is retained as shown by the dotted structure in Fig. 2. Since 30' the receptacle is placed in position and in line with the forward end of the mail box, it is necessary for this reason to guard against entrance of rain or moisture.

To accomplish this result I provide the flap member 28, which includes the cars 29. Inserted beneath the flap member 28 and through the ears 29, is the small rod 30, which passes through the ears 3I, which are formed from the front wall I5 of the box.

The protecting member 28 is adapted to extend into the integral extending portion 32 (see Fig. 3) which portion extends substantially beyond the upper limit 33 of the opening in the front of the box I5, or in other words the opening within which the receptacle I0 swings.

The flap 28 includes the centrally arranged extended portion 34, and the rear wall II of the receptacle I0, includes the out out portion 35 50 (see Fig. 1). The portion 34 is slightly less in width than the portion 35, and it will thus be seen that when the receptacle I0 is raised to the elevated position the portion 34 will slip into portion 35, and the extending ears 36 will then abut against the portions 31, thereby maintaining the elevated position of the receptacle I l].

The portion 36 is slightly arcuate in shape in order to also maintain this position for convenience in removing the letters. It will now be seen that when the receptacle is in its vertical position or when it is not being emptied, the flap 28 will provide a water-shed since moisture and rain will run in the direction of the arrow 38, and any moisture which may be caught at 39 will also run down the outside face of the flap.

Another feature of my invention is the coin holding receptacle which is attached to the hook member 40, which hook member is pivoted at M to the side wall M, and extends into a small arcuate hook 42. The pivot is provided at 4| so that the lower part of the member 40 can be swung downwardly thereby carrying the hook 42 upwardly and out of the way if such positioning is desired, or in case the coin container is not used.

The coin holder comprises the outer metal casing 43 and the inner casing 44, which is adapted to pivot therein on the pins 45. The pins 45 are secured through the adjacent walls of the outer casing 46 and the wall of the inner casing 41, respectively. A body portion is formed by members t3 and 44 below the pivot 45.

The openings &8 are provided at the upper ends of these cases and are adapted to fit over the hook member 42. The outer case 43 terminates in the horizontal bottom wall 49, and the case M further includes a small extended portion 58.

It will be noted particularly that the side members of 43 and 44 taper from near the bottom upwardly to the top thereof. The sides of casing 44 below the pivot point taper downwardly toward the bottom.

When inserting coins in the holder the fingers are pressed together at approximate points 5! and 52 (see Fig. 5) which then opens the containers into position as shown in Fig. 6. The coins are then inserted and the weight of the same will usually return the container to position as shown in Fig. 5, or this can be done manually by a simple operation and the device is then placed upon the hook. The coins are then substantially protected and are readily removed from the containers by lifting the same off the hooks 42 and then turning the container downwardly as shown in Figure '7.

When the containers are held in position as shown in Fig. 7, it is not necessary to manipulate the same as the weight of the coins 53, sliding out of the same will readily open the container. In this way an easily operated receptacle is provided for the use intended.

Thereby the coin container provides an associated device in combination with the receptacle which naturally assists the postman, and is very convenient for the resident using the mail box.

It will now be seen that I have provided a mail box which is adapted to allow easy removal and insertion of letters and the like, which indicates at a distance whether there are articles in the receptacle, and which provides means for insuring moistureproof characteristics to the receptacle.

It will be seen further that I have provided a convenient coin holding means associated with the mail box which allows convenient insertion of coins, which maintains the coins in good condition, and which is readily emptied.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A coin receiving container comprising an outer casing including an enlarged bottom wall and having sides tapering toward the top thereof, an inner casing pivotally received within the outer casing and having an extended flange at the bottom thereof adapted to slightly overlap the bottom wall of the outer casing and having sides tapering toward the top thereof to form a substantially tight closure at the said top.

2. A coin receiving container comprising an outer casing including an enlarged bottom wall and having sides, said sides above a bottom portion tapering toward the top thereof, an inner casing pivotally received within the outer casing and having an extended flange at the bottom thereof adapted to slightly overlap the bottom wall of the outer casing and having sides tapering toward the top thereof to form a substantially tight closure at the said top, said casing being pivoted within the enlarged bottom portion and adapted to open by compression of the fingers against said bottom portion and said inner casing, said casing being readily opened by the weight of coins forcing through the top of casing when the holder is reversed.

ANDREW J. CARLSON. 

